Cable clutter is the scourge of the modern work desk. Sure, we are trying to go wireless as much as possible, but there are still plenty of cords snaking around our desks. Let’s organize them once and for all.

Naturally, computer cable clutter is more for a desktop PC than a laptop. That said, even a laptop can have quite a few cables: a power cord, a USB hub for additional ports, and so on. And then there’s the charger for your phone, and other odds and ends.

You need to attack the problem in five steps:

Hide the power strip and plugs.

Collect and tie the cables together.

Shorten cable length.

Hold unused cables in place.

Identify the cables.

1. Hide the Power Strip and Plugs

A power strip is designed for functionality, not for looking good. Yes, you should use a surge protector, but the resultant mess of cables is an eyesore. That’s the first place to start your cable clutter management.

DIY Shoebox Power Strip

The simplest solution for this is to create a DIY box for the power strip out of a shoebox. The video below has step by step instructions to make a good-looking one. If you’re okay with a basic box, then just cut holes on both sides so that the power strip’s cable, and the cables of connected plugs, can come out from either side.

2. Collect and Tie Cables Together

Now that the power strip is out of the way, let’s deal with the myriad of loose cords hanging around. First, identify the cords that are going to stay there permanently or for a long time. Collect them together and bunch them up. There are two options for this.

Zip ties have some pros and cons. Taking a cable out of a zip tie means cutting them all, and fastening new ones again. That said, given how cheap zip ties are, you can create multiple bunches of cables, so you can remove and attach a collection of cords at the same time. And there’s always the option of spending a bit more for reusable zip ties.

3. Shorten Cable Length

With the power strip box and cable sleeves or zip ties, the under-the-desk mess of cables is now hidden. But the cables sitting on the desk are still an issue. You need them there, but you don’t need them taking up so much space. The solution is to shorten their length temporarily.

Cablebone

The no-cost DIY solution is the Cablebone from Instructables. You’ll need a rubber mat, a marker pen, a cutter, glue, and a drill. Draw small bone shapes on a rubber mat, cut them out, and glue two together. You need the resultant rubber bone to be roughly a quarter of an inch thick. Drill a hole at both ends of the bone, and cut it slightly so a cord can go one. Now just wrap the cord from one end to the other, coiling it around the bone to make it as short as you need. Clean and simple!

4. Hold Unused Cables in Place

There are a lot of cables that you need off and on, but not always. Your phone or tablet charger, for instance, may not always be plugged into the device. And so it sits on the desk, adding to the clutter, getting tangled with other wires. Instead, arrange these unused cables in one place.

Sugru

The all-purpose mouldable silicone putty Sugru has many geeky uses. Cable management is right at the top of this. As the video above shows, you need to only stick the Sugru ($12 for pack of 3) on your desk (or to its side) and make a groove with a toothpick. In a matter of hours, you will have as many custom cord holders as you need.

Cable Clips

For a no-work solution, buy a pack of adhesive cable clips. These gizmos are like a ready-made version of the Sugru hack above, in that they stick to the desk and you can run cables through them. There’s a wide selection of cable clips on Amazon, but make sure you pick something with 3M adhesive.

5. Identify The Cables

So you have all your cables neatly arranged. But while you get rid of the mess, this bunching up lost the ability to easily identify which cable does what. Don’t worry, there are simple hacks to remember that.

Duct Tape

The easiest way to identify cables is to wrap colored duct tape around the line, with a little bit jutting out. On the part that’s jutting out, use a sharpie or marker pen to write what the cable is for. And to ensure that the back doesn’t stick somewhere, put a piece of paper there and write the identification again. It doesn’t look great, but it’s the most functional choice.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Comment

Name *

Email *

Jeff

March 11, 2019 at 9:18 pm

This is a great article, Mihir. Very creative and informative. As someone who works from home, I am always looking for ways to keep my home office from building up clutter, and you mention a bunch of great ways to do so. One of the biggest issues I was running into was combining all my cables together but then not knowing which is which. The bread clip trick you mention has fixed this for me! Another thing I've done is tape cables and power cords underneath my desk to avoid from them getting pulled on. There's a great article by Tape University that talks about what types of tape are best used for that. Here's the link for anyone interested: https://www.tapeuniversity.com/2018/05/why-shouldnt-i-tape-down-cables-with-duct-tape/

Rather than cable sleeves, you may need "split loom" protectors. One of my perennial problems is that I have several cats, and I've lost more than one wire to kitty toothmarks. Split loom is like plastic armored conduit, absolutely proof against cats.

"1. Hide the Power Strip and Plugs"
You're just replacing a set of smaller 'boxes' with a set of larger ones. Power strips/surge protectors are smaller than a shoe box.

If you have a wooden desk or table, another way to get the power strips out of the way (hide them) is to attach them to the back of the desk.

"3. Shorten Cable Length"
That can be done with twisty ties and/or duct tape. No need to enrich some gizmo manufacturer. In my shop I use twisty ties to keep my power tool cables from snaking all over the place between uses.

"4. Hold Unused Cables in Place"
One way to eliminate cable clutter is to remove unused cables from underneath the desk. I store unused cables in my basement.

"5. Identify The Cables"
Bread clips are a good idea. I also use permanent printable labels. Like duct tape they can be cut to a needed size. Unlike tape, they are easier to write on.

"How Do You Store Loose Cables?"
I have a box that used to hold printer paper. In it I have a separate plastic bag for each type of cable: USB, printer, power, telephone, ethernet,etc.